Envelope



Nov. 29, 1955 J. J. BALLE 2,725,180

ENVELOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet I Filed Sept. 4, 1951 J. J. BALLE Nov. 29, 1955 ENVELOPE 2 Sheets-Shes?l 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1951 United States Patent O ENVELOPE John J. Balle, Valley Stream, N. Y.

Application September 4, 1951, Serial No. 244,899 5 Claims. (Cl. 229-73) This invention relates to return mailing envelopes, such as may be used to enclose and mail an initial message to an addressee and readily re-used by the addressee to enclose and mail the reply to the initial addressor.

Return mailing envelopes as hitherto proposed have required specialized and complicated outlines of the envelope sheet or blank, and include one or more side flaps projecting from the marginal edges of the blanks, in addition to end iiaps. These complicated outlines substantially decrease the number of blanks which can be cut from a given size sheet of paper, thus increasing the wastag'e of paper and the cost of material for the blanks. Additionally, the complicated outlines increase the labor and die cost for forming the blanks. Both of these factors have mitigated against the use of such envelopes due to the resultant high cost thereof. Furthermore, such envelopes are not adapted for use in automatic mailing machines.

The present invention is directed to an inexpensive return mailing envelope formed from a blank having a simple and regular outline, whereby the number of blanks cut from a single sheet is substantially increased and the cutting cost substantially reduced. The blank fromk which the invention envelope is formed is an elongated rectangle characterized by the absence of side iiaps and having a shortl end flap at each end which may be triangular. The body of this blank is divided, by transverse fold lines perpendicular to its longer edges, into six substantially congruent rectangular panels each extending across the blank and having their shorter edges aligned to form the long rectilinear edges of the blank.

The back surface of the blank has a narrow marginal adhesive zone around its entire periphery including the outer edges of the end iiaps. The front faces of selected panels carry the return address (upper left corner.) of the sender, the return address (upper left corner) of the initial addressee, and the mailing address (center) for return of the envelope to the initial addressor. One of the panels, preferably the second, may have a window therein.

To prepare the blank for use as an envelope, the second and third panels are folded inwardly about their common fold line and their shorter edges are adhered together.

The fourth and fifth panels are similarly folded and adhered. This provides a pocket, closed at its bottom and side edges, between the rear surfaces of the second and third panels, this pocket having extended walls provided, respectively, by the first and sixth panels with their end flaps. In effect, the sixth panel now forms an extension of the third panel, with the joined fourth and fifth panels projecting outwardly from the now adjacent edges of the third and sixth panels. The front face of the envelope is provided by the iirst and second panels.

The message is now inserted into the pocket, the end ap on the sixth panel is folded over thereagainst, the sixth panel is superposed against the rear surface of the first panel, and the joined fourth and fifth panels are superposed against the outer surface of the sixth panel.

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The envelope is sealed by folding the end flap on the first panel over the free rear edges of the pocket and sealed against the outer surface of the fourth panel.

To remove the contents, the initial addressee slits the envelope along the fold line between the iirst panel and its end flap. He then folds the first panel over against the second panel, forming a new pocket having a rear wall whose inner surface is constituted by the inner surfaces of the iirst and fourth panels, and a front wall whose inner surface is constituted by the inner surfaces of the fth and sixth panels, the fourth and fifth panels being still joined along their common fold line and their shorter edges.

The return message is inserted in this new pocket and the end iiap of the sixth panel is folded over the free edges of the new pocket (constituted by the common fold line of the second and third panels and the slit edge of the first panel) and sealed against the outer surface of the third panel.

Due to its regular rectangular outline, the envelope is particularly adaptable for use with automatic mailing machines.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the invention envelope as arranged for initial mailing;

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, front and rear plan views of the envelope blank before folding;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of the envelope as arranged for initial mailing;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation view of the envelope as arranged for return mailing; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the line 7V-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3; the envelope is formed from a substantially elongated rectangular blank which may, for example, be approximately 14.875 by 6.5, although different dimensions may be used for different sized envelopes. The blank is characterized by parallel, rectilinear, longer edges without projecting side aps.

' A series of fold or score lines 19--25, each perpendicular to the rectilinear edges of the blank, divide the blank into six rectangular, substantially congruent panels having front or outer faces 12-17 and rear or inner surfaces 27-32. An end iiap having a front face 11 and a rear face 26, and which may be triangular, is joined to the first panel l2- 27 along fold line 19. A similar end iiap 13-33 is joined to the sixth panel 17-32 along fold or score line 25.

As best seen in Fig. 3, adhesive is applied along a narrow zone around the entire periphery of the rear surface of the blank, including the two end flaps, as at 34, 35 and 36. The second panel 13-28 may have an open or transparent window 37 therein. As best seen in Fig. 2, the first panel carries the return address of the initial addressor in its upper left corner, the fifth panel similarly carries the return address of the initial addressee, and the sixth panel carries the return mailing address of the initial addressor or sender.

Referring to Figs. l, 4 and 5, to form the envelope, the second panel 13-28 is folded inwardly against the third panel 14-29, about their common fold line 21, so that inner face 28 is engaged with inner face 29. The second and third panels are sealed in the folded condition by the adhesive 34 along their shorter edges. The fourth and fifth panels are similarly folded inwardly about their common fold line 23, to superpose their inner faces 30, 31 and are sealed along their shorter edges by adhesive 34. This folding and sealing provides an envelope for initial mailing having its front wall formed by the first and second panels, 12-27 and 13-28, and its rear wall formed by the third and sixth panels, 14-29 and 1'7-32. The initial message 40 is placed into this envelope, end flap 18-33 is folded about lline 25 against the sixth panel 1'7-32, the sixth panel is placed against the inner face 27 of the first panel, and the joined fourth and fifth panels are folded against the outer face 17 of the sixth panel. The end flap 11-26 is then folded over the superposed fourth,l fifth and sixth panels and sealed against the outer surface 15 of the fourth panel.

The initial addressee opens the envelope (38 in Fig. 4) by slitting along score line 19 and removes message 40. He then refolds the envelope as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 by sealing the first panel to the sixth panel along their shorter ends. This forms a new pocket having a front 'wall whose inner surface is constituted by the inner faces 31 and 32 of the fifth and sixth panels, and an outer wall whose inner surface is constituted by the inner faces 27 and 30 of the first and fourth panel. The front face of the return envelope 39 comprises panel outer faces 16 and I7, and the rear face comprises panel outer faces 14 and 15.

The return enclosure is then. inserted into the newly formed pocket, the joined second and third panels are folded against the outer surface 12 of the first panel, and ap 18-33 is folded over the first, second and third panels and sealed t0 the outer surface 14 of the third panel.

The invention thus provides an initial mailing envelope (Fig. 4) having the address of the addressee appearing in window 37 in the second panel and the senders return address in the upper left corner of the first panel. The return envelope (Fig. 6) carries the initial senders address in the front exposedv face 17 of the sixth panel and the initial addressees return address in the upper left corner of the fifth panel.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it. will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

l. A return mailing envelope comprising a substantially rectangular elongated sheet havin-g front and back. faces and parallel, uninterrupted, rectilinear longer edges; spaced parallel fold lines extending transversely of said sheet perpendicular to said rectilinear longer edges and dividing said sheet into six consecutive substantially congruent rectangular panels, the common longer sides of adjacent panels being coincident with the common fold line therebetween, and the shorter parallel opposite ends of the-panels being aligned to form the rectilinear longer edges of the sheet; a first ap having an inner edge common with the fold line common to the outer longer side of the first panel; a second ap having an inner edge common with the fold line common to the outer longer side of the sixth panel; and the back face of the sheet having an adhesive line extending around its entire periphery of the sheet and the outer edges of the fiaps; the second and third panels being folded inwardly about their common fold line and adhered to each other along their shorter ends, and the fourth and fifth panels being folded inwardly about their common fold line and adhered to each other along their shorter ends to provide a message receiving initial mailing pocket formed by the first and second panels, as-y one wall, and the sixth and third panels as the opposite wall; a message being inserted into the initial mailing pocket and the second flap being folded inwardly over the panel, the joined fourth and fifth panels being folded against the outer surface of the sixth panel, and the first ap folded over the superposed second flap and sixth, fifth, and fourth panels and sealed to the front face of the latter for such initial mailing; whereby the initial addressee may slit the fold line between the first flap and first panel, remove the message, fold the second flap away from the sixth panel, adhere the first and sixth panels together along their shorter opposite ends, and fold' the joined first and sixth panels against the front4 face of the second panel to provide an edge sealed, message receiving return mailing pocket formed by thefirst and fourth panels, as one Wall, and the fifth and sixth panels as the opposite wall; and then insert a return message into the return mailing pocket, fold the second flap over the superposedfirst, second, and third panels, and seal the second flap to the outer surface of the third panel for the reply mailing.

2. A return mailing envelope as claimed in claim `1 including an addressee window in the second panel.

3. A return mailing envelope as claimed in claim l in which the return address of the initial addressee is placed on the front face of the fifth panel, and the address of the initial sender is placed on the front face of the sixth panel.

4". A return mailing envelope as claimed in claim I in' which the return address of the initial sender is placed on the front face of the first panel, the return address of the initial addressee is placed on the front face of the fifth panel, and the address of the initial sender is placed on the frontface of the sixth panel.

5. A return mailing envelope asl claimed in claim 1 in which said fiaps are substantially triangular.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESy PATENTS 

